Gameboard and game piece



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 U x U J. KOVACS GAMEBOARD AND GAME PIECE Feb. 27, 1962 Filed May 6, 1959 Feb. 27, 1962 J. KovAcs GAMEBOARD AND GAME PIECE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1959 Joseph Kovjacs INYENTOR.

WWW 3M5 flif The present invention generally relates to an entertain ment device and more particularly to a game apparatus including a gameboard and game pieces particularly constructed for use by persons while playing a game out of doors, on moving transportation such as a train, bus, airplane or the like in which the game piece is fixed to the gameboard in a detachable manner for retaining the game piece in position until such time as it is physically moved by the players.

Quite often, it is desirable to play games such as chess, checkers or the like while out of doors or while travelling for purposes of entertainment and the like. Since the gameboard and game pieces are not too stable, it quite often occurs that the gameboard will be accidentally moved thus causing the game pieces to fall off or move in relation to the gameboard, all of which is detrimental to the successful completion of a game. Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a gameboard having a particular structural arrangement together with game pieces having a novel structural arrangement for cooperation with the structure of the gameboard whereby the game pieces are detachably locked onto the gameboard in any of the various positions to which the game piece will be moved, thereby preventing accidental movement of the game pieces in relation to the gameboard and preventing such game pieces from falling off of the gameboard or Otherwise becoming misplaced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game piece having a structural arrangement which will prevent the same from rolling if laid down on a supporting surface.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a game piece holder which will hold the game pieces while not actually being used and will retain the game pieces when the gameboard is in stored condition.

Yet another salient feature of the invention is the provision of a gameboard which is foldable and forms a compartment which receives the game pieces in the game piece holders.

Still another important feature of the present invention is to provide a gameboard and game piece assembly together with a game piece holder which is simple in construction, easy to use, eifective for its particular purposes and generally inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the gameboard of the present invention in extended or unfolded condition illustrating one game piece mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 22 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the details of the gameboard and game piece;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view along a similar section line as in FIGURE 2 but showing the gameboard in folded condition with the game pieces in game piece holders assembled therein;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 illustrating further structural details of the gameboard;

3,.h23,% Patented Feb. 27, was

FIGURE 5 is an exploded group perspective view of a game piece and a portion of a gameboard illustrating the structural details of the interlocking detachable connection therebetween;

FIGURE 6 is a top perspective view of the. game piece holder illustrating the slotted construction for mounting the game pieces; and

FIGURE 7 is a bottom perspective view of the game piece holder illustrating the game pieces disposed on the side therein.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral It) generally designates the gameboard of the present invention with the numeral .12 generally designating the game pieces and the numeral 14 generally the game piece holder.

The gameboard 10 is constructed of two hingedly interconnected sections designated by the numerals 16 and 18 and which are substantially similar in construction with each section 16 and 18 having a playing surface 20 with end flanges 22 and side flanges 24 extending downwardly therefrom. The adjacent side flanges 24 are hingedly interconnected by hinge 26 and the flanges 22 and 24 on the section 16 are provided with a peripheral groove 28 on the inner edge thereof while the flanges 24 and 22 on the section 18 are provided with a peripheral groove 30 on the outer edge thereof whereby the grooves 23 and 3% will receive the projections formed thereby substantially as illustrated in FIGURE 3 when the sections 16 and 18 are folded into overlying relation to each other with the area defined by the flanges 22 and 24 then defining a hollow interior area for a purpose described hereinafter.

The upper surface of the playing surfaces 20 is provided with a series of colored playing areas 32 of one color and a series of playing areas 34 of another color and the gameboard layout is the layout used in a chess board or in a checker board with the colored areas 32.

and 34 being readily distinguishable.

Each playing area 32 or 34 is provided with a slot-like opening 36 extending therethrough. Each slot-like opening 36 is surrounded by a depending circular projection 38 on the undersurface of the playing surface 20. The projection 38 is provided with a pair of recesses 40' therein having arcuate outer surfaces with the recesses being partially separated by inwardly extending abutment areas 42 as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

The game piece 12 may be in the form of a chess piece 44 or a checker 4-5. The chess piece 44 will be shaped to conform to the various chess pieces and will have a rectangular base 46 which will prevent the game piece from rolling if it is laid upon a supporting surface. EX- tending downwardly from the base 46 is a cylindrical shank 48 having an enlarged head 50 thereon. The head 59 is oval shaped in configuration and is of a size to pass downwardly through the opening 36 whereupon the game piece 12 may be rotated about its vertical axis thereby causing the oval shaped head 54 to rotate with the outer edges thereof following the arcuate outer edges of the recess 4t) and abutting the inward projections 42 thus limiting the rotational movement of the game piece 12 and locking the game piece 12 to the playing surface 20 since the head 50 cannot be withdrawn through the opening 55 until the longitudinal axis of the head 50 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the slot 36. The head 50 is provided with a downwardly tapering or pointed lower end 52 for purposes of centering and guiding the head St? down through the opening 36. With this construction, the game piece 12 is detachably locked to the playing surface Ztl by inserting the head 50 down through the slot 36 and, then rotating the game piece a partial turn which will misalign the head with the slot. 1

The game piece holder 14 is in the form of an elongated shallow box having a mounting surface 54 provided with an elongated slot 56 therein with the mounting surface 54 having end flanges 53 and side flanges 66 pro jecting therefrom in perpendicular relation. When the game is being played and there are excess game pieces not being used, the game pieces 12 may be mounted on the holder 14 by inserting the projection 54 down through the slot 56 and rotating the game piece 12 so that the head 56 will extend perpendicularly of the slot 56 Whereby the game pieces 12 will be locked onto the holder 14 in a detachable manner. When the game pieces 12 are to be stored after completion of a game, the game pieces 12 are laid on their sides in the shallow box forming the holder 14 with the shallow box being inverted with the mounting surface 54' then becoming the bottom for the holder with the game pieces being orientated as illustrated in FIGURE 7.

As will be seen in FIGURE 3, there are two game piece holders for chess game pieces with one holder receiving one color chess game pieces and the other holder receiving the other color chess game pieces. Also, there is a relatively narrow game piece holder 62 for receiving checker game pieces 45.

Thus, the present invention provides a handy game playing apparatus which may be stored in compact condition and which may be easily assembled and disassembled and which is primarily constructed for use in playing chess or checkers, and many other game apparatus could use the same principle.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only ofthe principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled'in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. I

What is claimed asnew is as follows:

1. A game apparatus comprising a gamcboard having a planar playing surface, said surface being divided into a plurality of distinguishableareas, each area having an opening extending therethrough, a plurality of game pieces for positioning on the areas, each game piece including depending means on the lower end thereof for movement vertically through the opening and lockingly engaging the gameboard to thereby detachably mount the game pieces on the gameboard to prevent accidental relative movement between the gameboard and game pieces, said opening in each area being oval shaped, said downwardly projecting means on each game piece including an oval shaped head connected to the game piece by a reduced shank, said oval shaped head being similar in shape but slightly smaller than the opening in the areas for passage therethrough whereby the game piece is locked to the playing surface by rotational movement of the game piece, said playing surface having means on the underside thereof for limiting. rotational movement of the game piece so that the oval shaped head will be disposed in perpendicular relation to the opening.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said gameboard is constructed of two hingedly interconnected sections, each section having a depending peripheral wall for abutting engagement when forming a folded game apparatus folded for storage, said flanges forming a receptacle area for receiving the game pieces when the gameboard is folded.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a gameboard provided with an oval-shaped opening, and a game piece positionable on said gameboard, said game piece being provided at its bottom with depending means for movement vertically through said opening and lockingly engaging the gameboard whereby to detachably mount the game piece on the gameboard, said depending means including an oval-shaped head connected to the game piece by a reduced shank, said oval-shaped head being similar in shape but slightly smaller than the gameboard opening for passage therethrough and locking to the gameboard by a rotational movement of the gamepiece, and means provided at the underside of the gameboard for limiting rotational movement of the game piece so that said oval-shaped head may be disposed transversely of said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Ian. 22,, 1948 

